


A Quiet New Year's Eve

by ChelleDoggo



Category: 101 Dalmatian Street (Cartoon)
Genre: Anxiety, Brotherly Love, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Not Shippy, implied 2020, implied suicidal thoughts, wholesome hypno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28422702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelleDoggo/pseuds/ChelleDoggo
Summary: When Deepak hypnotizes Dante to keep his New Year's Eve anxiety at bay, the goth pup opens up about the strain the past year has put on his mental health.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	A Quiet New Year's Eve

“ _Breathe in...and...out...”_

The upstairs bedroom was dark, lit only by a few mellow scented candles. Soft new-age music played on the family's tablet nearby.

Dante lay on his back with his head resting in Deepak's cross-legged lap. Both pups' eyes were closed in a deep, hypnotic trance state. Deepak gently massaged Dante's temples and whispered calming suggestions in his ear, as Dante lay still as a ragdoll, breathing deeply and slowly.

It was New Year's Eve; the night when Dante's doomsday predictions were typically at their zenith. The Dalmatian parents insisted that Deepak keep Dante hypnotized all night so that he wouldn't scare the pups during their New Year's celebration. It was for Dante's own good, too. Having a panic attack wouldn't exactly be the best way to ring in the new year.

So, Deepak had to miss out on the midnight countdown, but he was honestly fine with it. In fact, he preferred to spend the evening in silence and trance instead of downstairs with all the noise and hollering. The two pups' mutual hypnotic state drowned out most of the sound around them, save for the soft new-age music and the sounds of each others' voices. It was as if they were just in a separate realm together where they could just relax and bond.

“ _Floating..._ ” Deepak whispered soothingly into his brother's ear. “ _Floating in silence...Floating in nothingness...No thoughts...Only peace...Only calm...Breathe in...Breathe out..._ ”

Dante felt mostly serene, but a single thought still lingered within him. Deepak's intuition quickly picked up on it.

“ _Brother Dante..._ ” Deepak whispered empathetically as he continued to rub Dante's temples. “ _I can sense there is something on your mind...Would you like to talk about it?_ ”

“I...thought...” Dante mumbled sleepily. “I _really_ thought...this would be...the year...”

“ _How so?_ ” Deepak gently asked.

“Just...Everything that's been happening in the world...” Dante quietly explained. “It's been horrific...I'm...I'm actually really surprised that...that we made it through...I was scared that...that this would be the end...”

“ _...But it_ wasn't _the end, was it?_ ” Deepak asked. “ _We're still here, are we not?_ ”

“Ye...Yeah....” Dante replied weakly. “But...It was terrifying...Exhausting...Some days I just...”

Dante's voice trailed off there.

“ _...Hm?_ ” Deepak prompted with concerned curiosity.

Dante took a deep breath.

“Some days I just...” he continued, beginning to quietly sob a little, “...wanted to give up...Wanted to go lay in bed and...and wait to...to...”

There was silence for a moment.

Deepak took a paw and gently stroked Dante's head between his eyebrows.

“ _Brother Dante..._ ” Deepak leaned down and whispered soothingly. “ _Just breathe deeply and focus on my words..._ ”

Dante began steadying his breathing and was ready to listen.

“ _Dante..._ ” Deepak continued quietly, “ _I am very proud of you..._ ”

“P...Proud...?” Dante whimpered confusedly, still trying to keep his breathing steady.

“ _Yes, Brother..._ ” Deepak affirmed. “ _You have shown much courage and strength this year..._ ”

“ _Courage?...Strength?_ ” Dante chuckled darkly. “ _That's_ a good one...”

“ _I mean it, Brother Dante..._ ” Deepak assured him. “ _This year has been full of hardships, has it not?...And yet through it all, even when things seemed at their darkest, you're still here with us...You chose to hold on, even when you perceived everything as hopeless..._ ”

“Yeah, but...” Dante mumbled skeptically, “Isn't that just...survival instinct?”

“ _You can call it that if you wish..._ ” Deepak replied calmly, “ _But I choose to call it courage and strength...I believe a part of you truly knew that there was reason to keep living...Maybe you don't consciously know what that reason is...but it's surely there...You should be very proud of yourself for making it through the year, Brother..._ ”

“But...” Dante whimpered weakly, “What...about next year?...What if...if that's the year...?”

“ _I very much doubt it will be..._ ” Deepak softly assured. “ _But there is no reason to worry about such things now...You have finally made it to the end of a difficult year...You deserve to rest your mind and renew your spirit...You've earned it..._ ”

Dante was once again silent for a moment, save for the sounds of contemplative yogic breathing.

“You...You really think so...?” Dante asked quietly.

“ _Without a doubt, Brother..._ ” Deepak whispered as he gently resumed massaging his brother's temples. “ _Now, relax and repeat after me. 'I am strong. I am brave. I am a survivor. I am proud of myself. I deserve to rest.'_ ”

Dante, still deep in his hypnotic state, obeyed without hesitation.

“I am strong...” he murmured in an entranced voice. “I am brave...I am a survivor...I am proud of myself...I deserve to rest...”

“ _Good..._ ” Deepak soothed. “ _Repeat these affirmations aloud to yourself as many times as you need to..._ ”

Dante continued to sleepily whisper his assigned mantra between slow, deep breaths. He smiled serenely as the worried muscles in his face began to relax. His voice eventually trailed off, and he lay silently for a moment.

“Th...Thanks...Deepak...” Dante murmured warmly. “That...really...means...a lot...to me...”

“ _Of course, Dante..._ ” Deepak replied softly. “ _That's what family is for..._ ”

The two pups suddenly perked their ears to the chime of the room's small mantle clock. In their deep trance, the sound was only barely audible, sounding like it was coming from miles away. But it was still unmistakable to them.

“ _Brother Dante..._ ” Deepak quietly informed his brother. “ _I believe it's midnight now...You've officially made it to the New Year...How do you feel?..._ ”

Dante heaved a sigh of relief.

“I feel...really...good...” he murmured.

Deepak slowly stroked his brother's brow once again.

“ _Happy New Year, Brother,_ ” he whispered.

“You, too, Bro...” Dante murmured peacefully. “You... _yawwwwn_...too...”

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to say, if you're here, reading this right now...I'm proud of you for making it through 2020.
> 
> Even if you don't like this silly little thing I wrote for the sake of self-care, I'm still proud of you.
> 
> I'm proud of you for being alive.
> 
> This has been one of the most difficult years in recent history. Our very way of life has been shaken to its core. The world is a scary place right now.
> 
> But despite it all, we're still here. YOU'RE still here. You pushed through even when things seemed to be at their darkest and you kept fighting like the hero you are.
> 
> I'm 110%, sincerely, wholeheartedly proud of you. And I want you to be proud of yourself too.
> 
> It's great to see this nightmare of a year finally draw to a close. We may not know what next year will bring, but I believe in all of you. We can make it through whatever 2021 can throw at us, right?
> 
> For now, take a deep breath. Rest. Show yourself some love.
> 
> You've done well.


End file.
